PSX Extreme

Site Stats

PS3 Editorial: Top 10 Reasons To Own A PS3

With all this nutty hype and hoopla surrounding the PS3 - and it's going to get even more crazy this week - maybe you're asking yourself, "why should I bother with this thing?" After all, there are several downsides to consider; price and availability are only a couple of them. However, we at PSX Extreme are confident that we've established the top 10 best reasons to pursue a PS3 purchase.

So here they are, and if you can’t identify with any of them, well...that’s your prerogative.

10: Continued Diversity

If there’s one thing the PlayStation consoles have always excelled at, it’s diversity. The PS2 was the most diverse gaming platform of the last generation, sporting representatives from most every genre in the industry. The system was the first to bring the tradition of Parappa back (which began on the original PS, of course), and in so doing, fully established the rhythm/dance genre. Amplitude, Frequency, Gitaroo-Man, and Mad Maestro are only a few selections from the genre, and it wasn’t until much later that the Xbox finally followed suit with a Dance Dance Revolution installment.

The PS2 also featured that niche set of games known as strategy/RPGs; the likes of Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Ring of Red, and Phantom Brave solidified that particular category – among others – and it didn’t end there. While the GameCube did end up having a few select Japanese RPGs, the Xbox never got one, and the reigning king of RPGs for yet another generation was a PlayStation console. And finally, you’ve got those quirky unique titles like Katamari Damacy, Shadow of the Colossus, and Okami that really add flavor to the library.

And all indications thus far are that the PS3 will continue this trend. There’s a similar level of support, and we’re already hearing about titles in each of the aforementioned genres. So if you want the largest selection and biggest variety, chances are, you may want to turn to the PS3 in the next generation.

9: PlayStation Store

It’s going to offer old PS1 classics, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Much like the already established Xbox Live Marketplace, the Store is going to feature updates, demos, and other downloadable goodies you won’t want to miss out on. And furthermore, rather than adopting that somewhat bizarre “Points” system, the straightforwardness of the simple price tags are a refreshing, and most logical, change. Chances are, you’re going to be browsing through the store many times to check out what’s new in the world of games, and that serves multiple purposes.

It’s one of those options that the “new-age” gamer just won’t be able to live without, and given some time and the PS3’s built-in functionality, the PlayStation Store may end up being the most fully realized online console marketplace.

8: Third-Party Support

Another area where the PS2 excelled was clearly the immense third-party support. And initially, there was some question as to whether or not old Sony allies would return to work with the PS3. But over the past six months or so, it’s become relatively clear that most of the biggest names in the industry are back on board. From EA to Square-Enix to Konami to Capcom, Sony has retained their most valuable assets and plan to push forward with those same well-established relationships. This links nicely with #10, because without this support, there wouldn’t be any such diversity.

Over the years, we can expect to see changes in loyalties ad general support, but for the most part, Sony is entering another generation with plenty of backing. The only question is whether or not the system is popular enough to keep those third-party-ers fat and happy. …and based on the clamoring throngs desperately trying to get their hands on a PS3, that question may have a definitive answer soon enough.